My falcon-drum is the call, ‘Return!’ God is my witness in despite of adversary.
من نیم جنس شهنشه دور از او ** لیک دارم در تجلی نور از او1170
I am not a congener of the King of kings—far be it from Him!—but I have light from Him in (His) self-manifestation.
نیست جنسیت ز روی شکل و ذات ** آب جنس خاک آمد در نبات
Homogeneity is not in respect of form and essence: water becomes homogeneous with earth in the plant.
باد جنس آتش آمد در قوام ** طبع را جنس آمده ست آخر مدام
Wind (air) becomes homogeneous with fire in consistency; wine at last becomes homogeneous with the constitution (of the body).
جنس ما چون نیست جنس شاه ما ** مای ما شد بهر مای او فنا
Since my genus is not the genus of my King, my ego has passed away (faná) for the sake of His ego.
چون فنا شد مای ما او ماند فرد ** پیش پای اسب او گردم چو گرد
Inasmuch as my ego passed away, He remained alone: I roll at the feet of His horse, like dust.
خاک شد جان و نشانیهای او ** هست بر خاکش نشان پای او1175
The (individual) soul (self) became dust, and the (only) signs of it are the mark of His feet on its dust.
خاک پایش شو برای این نشان ** تا شوی تاج سر گردن کشان
Become dust at His feet for the sake of this mark, in order that you may become the crown on the head of the lofty.
تا که نفریبد شما را شکل من ** نقل من نوشید پیش از نقل من
Let not my form beguile you: partake of my dessert before my departure.”
ای بسا کس را که صورت راه زد ** قصد صورت کرد و بر الله زد
Oh, (there is) many a one whom the form waylaid: he aimed at the form (of the holy man) and (in reality) struck at God.
آخر این جان با بدن پیوسته است ** هیچ این جان با بدن مانند هست
After all, this soul is joined to the body, (but) has this soul any likeness to the body?
تاب نور چشم با پیه است جفت ** نور دل در قطرهی خونی نهفت1180
The sparkle of the eye's light is paired with the fat; the light of the heart is hidden in a drop of blood;
شادی اندر گرده و غم در جگر ** عقل چون شمعی درون مغز سر
Joy (has its seat) in the kidneys, grief in the liver; intellect, (bright) as a candle, inside the brain in the head.
این تعلقها نه بیکیف است و چون ** عقلها در دانش چونی زبون
These connexions are not without a how and a why, (but) as regards knowledge of the why (our) minds are impotent.
جان کل با جان جزو آسیب کرد ** جان از او دری ستد در جیب کرد
The Universal Soul came into contact with the partial (individual) soul, and the (latter) soul received from it a pearl and put it into its bosom.
همچو مریم جان از آن آسیب جیب ** حامله شد از مسیح دل فریب
Through that touch on its bosom the (individual) soul became pregnant, like Mary, with a heart-beguiling Messiah,
آن مسیحی نه که بر خشک و تر است ** آن مسیحی کز مساحت برتر است1185
Not the Messiah who is (a traveller) on land and water, (but) the Messiah who is beyond (the limitation of) measuring (space).
پس ز جان جان چو حامل گشت جان ** از چنین جانی شود حامل جهان
So when the soul has been impregnated by the Soul of soul, by such a soul the world is impregnated.
پس جهان زاید جهان دیگری ** این حشر را وا نماید محشری
Then the world gives birth to another world, and displays to this congregated people a place of congregation (for the realities which are raised to life).
تا قیامت گر بگویم بشمرم ** من ز شرح این قیامت قاصرم
Though I should speak and recount till the Resurrection, I lack the power to describe this (spiritual) resurrection.
این سخنها خود به معنی یا ربی است ** حرفها دام دم شیرین لبی است
These sayings (of mine), indeed, are really an “O Lord” (a prayer addressed to God); the words are the lure for the breath of a sweet-lipped One.
چون کند تقصیر پس چون تن زند ** چون که لبیکش به یا رب میرسد1190
How, then, should he (that seeks the answer) fail (to pray)? How should he be silent, inasmuch as “Here am I” is (always) coming in response to his “O Lord”?
هست لبیکی که نتوانی شنید ** لیک سر تا پای بتوانی چشید
It is a “Here am I” that you cannot hear, but can taste (feel and enjoy) from head to foot.
کلوخ انداختن تشنه از سر دیوار در جوی آب
How the thirsty man threw bricks from the top of the wall into the stream of water.
بر لب جو بود دیواری بلند ** بر سر دیوار تشنهی دردمند
On the bank of the stream there was a high wall, and on the top of the wall a sorrowful thirsty man.
مانعش از آب آن دیوار بود ** از پی آب او چو ماهی زار بود
The wall hindered him from (reaching) the water; he was in distress for the water, like a fish.